We teach by looking at your work
Cohestra is a small school for designers built around one conviction: nobody improves from watching lectures. People improve when someone who knows what they’re looking at examines their actual work — and says what they see.
2019
TEACHING SINCE
3
COURSES, ALL AUTHORED BY MARA
19,000+
WRITTEN HOMEWORK REVIEWS
87%
FINISH THE COURSE THEY START
Five convictions we won’t compromise on
Critique over lectures
A lecture gives principles; critique reveals where you missed what a trained eye sees. That gap is the curriculum. Everything else is repetition.
Taste is learned, not innate
No one is born knowing why some layouts feel right. Designers called “naturally tasteful” study more work, more carefully, for longer. We compress that practice.
Honest by structure, not courage
Formats relying on bravery fail; on a normal Tuesday, nobody is brave. Our critique format makes honesty cheaper than politeness: silent looks, fixed turns, and a mandatory “why” for every reaction.
Feedback is input; you decide
Critiques end with presenters noting actions to take. We train designers to handle feedback and make decisions, as that’s essential for their role.
Small on purpose
Cohorts of 12–24, never more. A curator can hold about twenty students; beyond that, feedback becomes a template. We prefer a waitlist.
Your Next Creative Chapter Starts Here.
Whether you’re building your first portfolio or leading international teams, the right guidance changes how you think—and what you’re capable of creating.
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